Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly announces creation of Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement on April 26, 2017
What is the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) ?
The Trump administration announced on Wednesday the creation of an office staffed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) employees to “help families that have been the victims of crimes committed by undocumented immigrants.” This new office will be called the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) and promises to keep victims informed of the immigration proceedings of their alleged suspect via a hotline.
What is the Impact of VOICE for Undocumented People?
In response to the creation of VOICE, Safe Horizon’s Deputy CEO & Chief Program Officer, Liz Roberts, stated: “As available research shows, immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than people born in the United States. This action singles out undocumented people as perpetrators. It is not supported by the data, and it perpetuates harmful stereotypes about undocumented immigrants.”
“Instead, we call on the administration to respond to the many still unmet needs of victims of crime and abuse across the nation by continuing to invest in federal offices such as the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) and the Office on Violence against Women (OVW), which lead comprehensive, well-informed responses to these issues, providing support for all crime victims.”
Safe Horizon provides a 24-hour hotline for victims of crime, including support for family members of homicide victims and victims of any type of crime in New York City. The toll free number for our Crime Victims Hotline is 866-689- HELP (4357).